Interferometric modulator for optical signal processing
First Claim
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1. An interferometric modulator for electromagnetic signals comprising:
- means for providing an electromagnetic input signal having a first fundamental frequency;
beamsplitter means for receiving said electromagnetic input signal and separating said input signal into a reflected signal and a transmitted signal having a respective phase relationship;
first means for providing a first modulating signal;
a first reflecting means positioned a first distance from said beamsplitter means for receiving said reflected signal and returning said reflected signal to said beamsplitter means, said reflected signal having an optical path length determined by said first distance;
a second reflecting means positioned a second distance from said beamsplitter means for receiving said transmitted signal and returning said transmitted signal to said beamsplitter means, said transmitted signal having an optical path length determined by said second distance;
said first reflecting means including a modulating means responsive to said first modulating signal for varying said first distance and said reflected signal optical path length, wherein said respective phase relationship between said reflected and transmitted signals varies as said first distance is varied; and
whereinsaid beamsplitter means combines said returned reflected and transmitted signals into a modulated output signal having a second fundamental frequency determined by said varying phase relationship; and
whereinsaid first reflecting means includes a first piezoelectric crystal that has a distance of movement of 50 to 500 times lambda, where lambda is the wavelength of said electromagnetic input signal.
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Abstract
An interferometric modulator uses a beamsplitter to produce deflected and transmitted light beams onto mirrored surfaces of a piezoelectric crystal pair, one piezoelectric crystal being driven by a modulating voltage signal, whereupon the light beams are reflected back to the beamsplitter to produce a modulated optical output signal, with the modulator being especially adaptable for use as an digital photonic clock, as a pulse width/amplitude modulator, and as a bistable optical memory cell.
185 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An interferometric modulator for electromagnetic signals comprising:
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means for providing an electromagnetic input signal having a first fundamental frequency; beamsplitter means for receiving said electromagnetic input signal and separating said input signal into a reflected signal and a transmitted signal having a respective phase relationship; first means for providing a first modulating signal; a first reflecting means positioned a first distance from said beamsplitter means for receiving said reflected signal and returning said reflected signal to said beamsplitter means, said reflected signal having an optical path length determined by said first distance; a second reflecting means positioned a second distance from said beamsplitter means for receiving said transmitted signal and returning said transmitted signal to said beamsplitter means, said transmitted signal having an optical path length determined by said second distance; said first reflecting means including a modulating means responsive to said first modulating signal for varying said first distance and said reflected signal optical path length, wherein said respective phase relationship between said reflected and transmitted signals varies as said first distance is varied; and
whereinsaid beamsplitter means combines said returned reflected and transmitted signals into a modulated output signal having a second fundamental frequency determined by said varying phase relationship; and
whereinsaid first reflecting means includes a first piezoelectric crystal that has a distance of movement of 50 to 500 times lambda, where lambda is the wavelength of said electromagnetic input signal. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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2. An interferometric modulator for electromagnetic signals comprising:
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means for providing an electromagnetic input signal having a first fundamental frequency; beamsplitter means for receiving said electromagnetic input signal and separating said input signal into a reflected signal and a transmitted signal having a respective phase relationship; first means for providing a first modulating signal; a first reflecting means positioned a first distance from said beamsplitter means for receiving said transmitted signal and returning said transmitted signal to said beamsplitter means, said transmitted signal having an optical path length determined by said first distance; a second reflecting means positioned a second distance from said beamsplitter means for receiving said reflected signal and returning said reflected signal to said beamsplitter means, said reflected signal having an optical path length determined by said second distance; said first reflecting means including a modulating means responsive to said first modulating signal for varying said first distance and said transmitted signal optical path length, wherein said respective phase relationship between said transmitted and reflected signals varies as said first distance is varied; and
whereinsaid beamsplitter means combines said returned transmitted and reflected signals into a modulated output signal having a second fundamental frequency determined by said varying phase relationship; and
whereinsaid first reflecting means includes a first piezoelectric crystal that has a distance of movement of 50 to 500 times lambda, where lambda is the wavelength of said electromagnetic input signal.
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14. An interferometric modulator for producing a square wave electromagnetic signal from a sinusoidal electromagnetic signal comprising:
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means for providing a sinusoidal electromagnetic input signal; first beamsplitter means for receiving said electromagnetic input signal and for splitting said signal into a plurality of signal portions, said first beamsplitter means including a first plurality of beamsplitters; second beamsplitter means for receiving said plurality of signal portions, said second beamsplitter means including a second plurality of beamsplitters aligned with one another, each second beamsplitter being positioned to receive one of said plurality of signal portions and for splitting said signal portions into a reflected portion and a transmitted portion; piezoelectric crystal means comprising a plurality of pairs of piezoelectric crystals, each pair consisting of two crystals arranged at an opposing angle to one another with respect to an associated one of said second plurality of beamsplitters, each of said two crystals being positioned adjacent to a said respective second beamsplitter for receiving said reflected and transmitted signal portions, for modulating at least one of said reflected and transmitted portions, and for returning said signal portions including said at least one modulated portion to said respective second beamsplitter; wherein said returned signal portions including said at least one modulated portion recombine in each said respective second beamsplitter to form a plurality of first modulated signals, each associated with one of said plurality of second beamsplitters; and third beamsplitter means for receiving said plurality of first modulated signals, said third beamsplitter means comprising a plurality of third beamsplitters, each positioned relative to a respective second beamsplitter for receiving a first modulated signal from a respective second beamsplitter, said plurality of third beamsplitters being aligned with on another to combine said plurality of first modulated signals into a square wave output signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An interferometric modulator for modulating a digital waveform electromagnetic signal comprising:
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means for providing a digital waveform electromagnetic input signal; an input beamsplitter means for receiving said input signal and for dividing said input signal into first and second signal portions; a first modulation means for modulating said first signal portion and a second modulation means for modulating said second signal portion and, an output beamsplitter means for receiving said first modulated signal and said second modulated signal and for combining said first and second modulated signals into a final modulated output signal and wherein said first modulation means comprises at least one beamsplitter for receiving said first signal portion and for dividing said first signal portion into a first signal reflected portion and a first signal transmitted portion, and a first piezoelectric crystal for receiving said first signal reflected portion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An interferometric modulator for providing memory storage of an optical data signal comprising:
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first beamsplitter means for receiving an optical data signal and for dividing said data signal into a reflected data signal and a transmitted data signal and first optical sensing means for sensing said reflected data signal; second beamsplitter means for receiving an optical memory operation signal and for combining said data and operation signals to produce a resultant signal, and second optical sensing means for sensing said operation signal and third optical sensing means for sensing said resultant signal; piezoelectric crystal means with a mirrored surface, and controller means responsive to said first, second, and third optical sensing means for producing a controlling signal; said piezoelectric crystal means being responsive to said controlling signal for altering the position of said mirrored surface, said mirrored surface arranged to reflect a portion of said resultant signal; and third beamsplitter means for receiving a portion of said resultant signal and a signal from said mirrored surface and for combining said received signals into an output signal which indicates the contents of the optical memory storage. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An interferometric modulator for electromagnetic signals comprising:
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means for providing an electromagnetic input signal having a first fundamental frequency; beamsplitter means for receiving said electromagnetic input signal and separating said input signal into a reflected signal and a transmitted signal having a respective phase relationship; first means for providing a first modulating signal; a first reflecting means positioned a first distance from said beamsplitter means for receiving said reflected signal and returning said reflected signal to said beamsplitter means, said reflected signal having an optical path length determined by said first distance; a second reflecting means positioned a second distance from said beamsplitter means for receiving said transmitted signal and returning said transmitted signal to said beamsplitter means, said transmitted signal having an optical path length determined by said second distance; said first reflecting means including a modulating means responsive to said first modulating signal for varying said first distance and said reflected signal optical path length, wherein said respective phase relationship between said reflected and transmitted signals varies as said first distance is varied; and
whereinsaid beamsplitter means combines said returned reflected and transmitted signals into a modulated output signal having a second fundamental frequency determined by said varying phase relationship; and wherein said first reflecting means includes a first piezoelectric crystal, said first piezoelectric crystal includes a mirrored surface, and said first piezoelectric crystal is responsive to said first modulating signal for varying said reflected or transmitted signal optical path length; and wherein said first means for providing a first modulating signal includes a voltage generator and said voltage generator produces a first modulating signal of predetermined amplitude and frequency; and further including second mean for providing a second modulating signal and wherein said second reflecting means includes a second modulating means responsive to said second modulating signal and wherein said second means for providing a second modulating signal includes a voltage generator for producing a second modulating signal of predetermined amplitude and frequency, and phase relative to said first modulating signal; and wherein said second reflecting means includes a second piezoelectric crystal having a mirrored surface, and said second piezoelectric crystal is responsive to said second modulating signal for varying said transmitted or reflected signal optical path length.
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Specification